Icelandic is spoken in Iceland. It is a North Germanic language, related to Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian, but unlike them retains the full set of conjugations and declensions that Old Norse had. That and its lack of Latinate words make it a difficult language for English speakers.

Icelandic nouns are declined in four cases, two numbers, and the presence of the definite article. Verbs have person and number, including the dual, which is used with pronouns.

Pronunciation guide

Although Icelandic looks very formidable with its strange characters "þ" and "ð" and many accented vowels, once the basic rules have been learned, pronunciation is fairly straightforward. Note that stress always falls on the first syllable of any word.

Vowels

Some vowels in Icelandic can have accent marks which modify the sound of each vowel. Vowels can come in long or short forms. In Icelandic, all vowels can be long or short. Vowels are long when they are in single syllable words, or when they form the penultimate syllable in two syllable words.

A a

(Short) like "a" in "land", (long) like "a" in "car"; or like "ow" in "now" when followed by "ng" or "nk".

Á á

Like "ow" in "now".

E e

(Short) like "e" in "met", (long) like "ea" in "bear".

É é

Like "ye" in "yes".

I i

(Short) like "i" in "bit", (long) same "i" but lengthened; or like "ee" in "meet" when followed by "ng" or "nk".

Í í

Like "ee" in "meet".

O o

(Short) like "o" in "hot", (long) like "or" in "door".

Ó ó

Like "o" in "snow".

U u

(Short) like "u" in "put", (long) the same short "u" but lengthened; or like "oo" in "moon" when followed by "ng" or "nk".

Ú ú

Like "oo" in "moon".

Y y

Same as Icelandic "i": (short) like "i" in "bit", (long) same "i" but lengthened; or like "ee" in "meet" when followed by "ng" or "nk".

Ý ý

Same as Icelandic "í": like "ee" in "meet".

Æ æ

Like "i" in "mile".

Ö ö

(Short) like "ur" in "fur" but shorter, (long) like "ur" in "fur"; (do not pronouce the "r").

Consonants

B b

Like "b" in "bed", or like "p" when at word end or following "m".

D d

Like "d" in "day", or like "t" when at word end.

Ð ð

Like "th" in "that", (only occurs in word middle and word end).

F f

Like "f" in "fish", or like "v" in "van" when between vowels; or when before "l" or "n", like "b" in "bed".

G g

Like "g" in "go", or like "k" in "kill" when in word middle; it is lost after "á", "ó", "u" when followed by "a" or "u" in the next syllable or when at word end.

H h

Like "h" in "hat", or like "k" when before a consonant; (never silent like "honour").

J j

Like "y" in "yes".

K k

Like "k" in "kill".

L l

Like "l" in "like".

M m

Like "m" in "me".

N n

Like "n" in "nurse".

P p

Like "p" in "push", or like "f" in "far" when before "s", "k", or "t".

R r

Rolled, like Scottish "r".

S s

Like "s" in "sun"; (never like "z" in "zero").

T t

Like "t" in "take".

V v

Like "v" in "value".

X x

Like "x" in "exit".

Þ þ

Like "th" in "thing".

Common diphthongs and letter combinations

au

Like "ur" in "fur" (do not prononce the r) followed by "ee" in "see" but with no intervening "r" - "u(r)-ee", similar to "oy" in "boy".

ei, ey

Like "ay" in "say".

gi, gj

Like "gy" in "drag-you" at word start; like "y" in "yes" in word middle or at word end.

hv

Like "kv" in "lock vent".

kk

Like "chk" in Scottish "Loch Carron".

ll

Like "tl" in "settle". Similar to Welsh "ll" (double L) but more aspirated (has more air to it).

ng

Like "nk" in "thinker", not "ng" in "finger".

nn

Like "dn" in "hard-nosed" when after "á", "é", "í", "ó", "ú", "ý", "æ", "au", "ei", or "ey"; or like "nn" in "tunnel" after "a", "e", "i", "o", "u", "y" or "ö".

pp

Like "h" and "p" fused together, similar to "hop" without the "o".

rl

Like "dl" in "riddle" similar in form to Welsh "ll" (double L) but said harder.

Phrase list

Basics

Note: you should take time to learn the alphabet rather than rely on the pronunciation guides within the brackets. Also note, the hyphens (-) serve only as a means to help you break down pronunciations, they do not represent where a pause should be, and the pronunciation should be read without pausing on the hyphens.

Numbers

NOTE: The numbers 1 to 4 have three gender forms in Icelandic, and this gender form changes depending upon whether the number is attached to a masculine, feminine, or neuter word. Only numbers one to four have these gender forms. In addition the numbers one to four change for the four grammatical cases; however, all numbers below are in their nominative (or natural) forms.

number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

númer _____ (noo-mer)

half

hálfur (hawl-vur)

third

þriðji (thri-dhyi)

quarter

fjórðungur (fjohr-dhun-gur)

less

minni (min-ni)

more

meiri (may-ri)

Cardinal

Examples:

(m) Einn maður (ay-tn madh-ur) "one man".

(f) Ein kona (ayn kon-a) "one woman".

(n) Eitt barn (ay-ht barn) "one child".

1

einn, (masculine) (a-te) much like the word "eight or ate" but with a softer T

ein, (feminine) (ayn)

eitt, (neuter) (ay-ht)

2

tveir, (masculine) (tvay-r)

tvær, (feminine) (tvigh-r)

tvö, (neuter) (two-ah) much like the word "Twas" without the S

3

þrír, (masculine) (threer)

þrjár, (feminine) (three-aw)

þrjú, (neuter) (three-oo)

4

fjórir, (masculine) (fjoh-rir)

fjórar, (feminine) (fjoh-rar)

fjögur, (neuter) (fyoh-ur)

5

fimm (fim)

6

sex (sex)

7

sjö (syur)

8

átta (ohw-ta)

9

níu (nee-u)

10

tíu (tee-u)

11

ellefu (et-le-vu)

12

tólf (toe-lv)

13

þrettán (threh-tawn)

14

fjórtán (fyohr-tawn)

15

fimmtán (fim-tawn)

16

sextán (sex-tawn)

17

sautján (sur-ee-tyawn)

Or, seytján (say-tjawn)

18

átján (aw-tyawn)

19

nítján (nee-tyawn)

20

tuttugu (tuh-tu-ghu)

21

tuttugu og einn (tuh-tu-ghu oh aydn)

22

tuttugu og tveir (tuh-tu-ghu oh tvayr)

23

tuttugu og þrír (tuh-tu-ghu oh threer)

30

þrjátíu (thryaw-tee-u)

40

fjörutíu (fyoh-ru-tee-u)

50

fimmtíu (fim-tee-u)

60

sextíu (sex-tee-u)

70

sjötíu (syur-tee-u)

80

áttatíu (awh-ta-tee-u)

90

níutíu (nee-u-tee-u)

100

hundrað (hun-tradh)

101

hundrað og einn (hun-tradh oh ay-dn)

200

tvö hundruð (tvur hun-trudh)

300

þrjú hundruð (thryow hun-trudh)

1000

þúsund (thoo-sunt)

2000

tvö þúsund (tvur thoo-sunt)

100,000

hundrað þúsund (hun-tradh thoo-sunt)

1,000,000

milljón (mil-yohn)

1,000,000,000

miljarður (mil-yar-dhur)

1,000,000,000

billjón (bil-yohn)

Ordinal

1st

fyrsti (fir-sti)

2nd

annar (an-nar)

3rd

þriðji (thri-dhyi)

4th

fjórði (fyohr-dhi)

5th

fimmti (fim-ti)

6th

sjötti (syur-ti)

7th

sjöundi (syur-unti)

8th

áttundi (awt-unti)

9th

níundi (nee-unti)

10th

tíundi (tee-unti)

11th

ellefti (et-lev-ti)

12th

tólfti (tohlv-ti)

13th

þrettándi (thre-ht-awn-ti)

14th

fjórtándi (fyohr-tawn-ti)

15th

fimmtándi (fim-tawn-ti)

16th

sextándi (sex-tawn-ti)

17th

sautjándi (sur-eet-yawn-ti)

Or, seytjándi (say-tyawn-ti)

18th

átjándi (awt-yawn-ti)

19th

nítjándi (neet-yawn-ti)

20th

tuttugasti (tut-htu-kas-ti)

21st

tuttugasti og fyrsti (tut-htu-kas-ti oh fir-sti)

30th

þrítugasti (three-tu-kas-ti)

40th

fertugasti (fer-tu-kas-ti)

50th

fimmtugasti (fim-tu-kas-ti)

60th

sextugasti (sex-tu-kas-ti)

70th

sjötugasti (syur-tu-kas-ti)

80th

áttugasti (awt-tu-kas-ti)

90th

nítugasti (nee-tu-kas-ti)

100th

hundraðasti (hun-tra-dhas-ti)

101st

hundraðasti og fyrsti (hun-tra-dhas-ti oh fir-sti)

100th

tvöhundruðasti (tvur-hun-tra-dhas-ti)

1,000th

þúsundasti (thoo-sun-tas-ti)

2,000th

tvöþúsundasti (tur-thoo-sun-tas-ti)

100,000th

hundrað þúsuntasti (hun-tradh thoo-sun-tas-ti)

1,000,000th

milljónasti (mil-yohn-asti)

1,000,000,000th

þúsund milljónasti (thoo-sunt mil-yohn-asti)

1,000,000,000,000th

billjónasti (bil-yohn-asti)

Time

now

núna (noo-na)

early

snemma (sne-ma)

late

seint (saynt)

before

áður en (awdh-ur en)

later

seinna meir (say-na may-r)

morning

morgunn (mor-kun)

afternoon

eftirmiðdagur (eb-tir-midh-tak-ur)

evening

kvöld (kvurlt)

night

nótt (no-ht)

Clock time

Iceland runs on the 24 hour clock as does most of Europe. For more details see Writing time and date (below).

one o'clock AM

klukkan er eitt (kluch-kan er ay-ht)

two o'clock AM

klukkan er tvö (kluck-kan er tvur)

noon

hádegi (haw-de-ki)

one o'clock PM

klukkan er þrettán (kluch-kan er thre-ht-awn)

two o'clock PM

klukkan er fjórtán (fyohr-tawn)

midnight

miðnætti (midh-nigh-ht-i)

Duration

_____ minute(s)

_____ mínúta (meen-oo-ta)

Plural; mínútur (meen-oo-tur)

_____ hour(s)

_____ klukkustund (kluch-ku-stunt)

Plural; klukkustundir (kluch-ku-stunt-ir)

_____ day(s)

_____ dagur (dak-ur)

Plural; dagar (dak-ar)

_____ week(s)

_____ vika (vik-a)

Plural; vikur (vik-ur)

_____ month(s)

_____ mánuður (maw-nudh-ur)

Plural; mánuðir (maw-nudh-ar)

_____ year(s)

_____ ár (awr)

Days

Sunday

Sunnudagur (Sun-nu-tak-ur)

Monday

Mánudagur (Maw-nu-tak-ur)

Tuesday

Þriðjudagur (Three-dhyu-tak-ur)

Wednesday

Miðvikudagur (Midh-vee-ku-tak-ur)

Thursday

Fimmtudagur (Fim-tu-tak-ur)

Friday

Föstudagur (Furs-tu-tak-ur)

Saturday

Laugardagur (Lur-ee-kar-tak-ur)

Months

Note: months are never capitalised in Icelandic, they are only capitalised when they are the first word of a sentence, otherwise, even when writing the date, they are left in lower case.

January

janúar (yan-oo-ar)

February

febrúar (feb-roo-ar)

March

mars (mars)

April

apríl (ap-reel)

May

maí (ma-ee) similar to migh in "might"

June

júní (yoo-nee)

July

júlí (yoo-lee)

August

ágúst (aw-koo-st)

September

september (sep-tem-ber)

October

október (ok-toh-ber)

November

nóvember (noh-vem-ber)

December

desember (des-em-ber)

Writing time and date

DATE: The date in Iceland is written in the dd/mm/yyyy format, as in Europe. The days and months are normally only capitalised at the start of a sentence, otherwise they are entirely in lower case. A fullstop ,or period, (.) is placed after the date in Icelandic.

Example:

miðvikudagur 14. apríl 2007

Wednesday 14th April 2007

TIME: The time in Iceland is written in the 24 hour format, as in most of Europe (not including UK or Ireland), with 00.00 being midnight and 12.00 being midday. The colon (:) is not used as the digit seperater, but rather the fullstop, or period, (.) is used. Note: the term "half-past the hour" in Icelandic is more like "half to the [next] hour" (see examples below).